NANAIMO
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Student protest Support shown to keep Cedar as a secondary school. PAGE 18 About an artist Aspengrove takes play to provincial drama festival. PAGE B1 Cup crazy Inaugural tournament brings best western hockey teams to city.
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THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2013
VOL. 24, NO. 153
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Councillor proposes late cuts to budget Bestwick’s motion to carve millions surprises majority of Nanaimo city council members BY TOBY GORMAN THE NEWS BULLETIN
CHRIS BUSH/THE NEWS BULLETIN
B.C. Premier Christy Clark shakes hands with Janice Roberts during a stopover at Nanaimo’s Mon Petit Choux on Commercial Street where she was greeted by dozens of supporters Tuesday. The visit was part of a day of campaigning on central Vancouver Island.
Premier makes quick campaign stop BY TOBY GORMAN THE NEWS BULLETIN
Nanaimo served up the tastiest tour stop for Premier Christy Clark’s sweep of the central Island Tuesday as dozens of Liberal supporters and a handful of candidates descended on Commercial Street’s Mon Petit Choux bakery and coffee shop. “I’m here for the Nanaimo bars,” quipped Clark as she immediately mixed with the applauding crowd on the sundrenched sidewalk. She didn’t have to wait long
as Nanaimo Mayor John Ruttan greeted her with an oversize Nanaimo bar presented in a cream coloured box and a pink ribbon, a gift Clark guarded even from her staff, along with a curiously larger gift from shop owners Gaetan Brousseau and Linda Allen. Hands firmly gripping treats, Clark said that the Liberal’s resource-heavy jobs plan will significantly benefit the midIsland area as forestry begins to perk up and overseas markets increase demand for South Coast wood. “Forestry has huge pros-
pects for Vancouver Island, and not just in the traditional way we think of forestry,” Clark told the News Bulletin in the bakery’s kitchen. “We’re investing in more research and innovation, in wood fibre and different ways to use fibre, so we can see some real innovative businesses come out of the forest sector here.” Clark added that the Liberals are doubling their sales force in Asia, mostly China and India, to increase tourism with Vancouver Island as one of the key attractions. ◆ See ‘CONNECTIONS’ /7
A Nanaimo city councillor threw a wrench into the budget approval process Monday by issuing a list of cuts he recommends that could save taxpayers millions of dollars. Earlier this year, Coun. Bill Bestwick put forward a motion to reduce the overall $175-million budget by five per cent across the board in an effort to reduce taxpayer fatigue. That was voted down 6-3 by council. At the time, the projected residential tax rate increase was 3.3 per cent. Because of unanticipated increases in new construction revenue, Nanaimo homeowners now face a 2.9-per cent tax rate increase – about a $55 increase not including sewer, water and garbage service rate hikes – while commercial taxpayers will see an increase of 1.9 per cent and heavy and light industrial rates will decrease by 24.2 per cent. A one-per cent increase to help pay for future infrastructure needs is included in the tax rate increases. However, Bestwick said Monday he still feels the budget – which increased from $160 million last year – has bloated to a point where taxpayers can no longer keep up. “The budget is the most important decision we make on an
annual basis,” said Bestwick. “With that in mind, I have placed before my colleagues an opportunity to reduce the budget across the board, fairly and equitable to most departments, if not all, a $2.2-million reduction plus whatever the one-per cent reduction of base salaries for exempt staff and council would work out to be.” Bestwick’s suggestions, which were supported by councillors Jim Kipp and Bill McKay, include reducing: RCMP services by $250,000; Nanaimo Fire Rescue by $300,000; public works by $250,000; reducing the parks, recreation and culture budget by $400,000; trimming the new $65-million water treatment facility by $250,000; eliminating the city’s strategic relationship position to save $125,000; reducing union exempt staff (management) and council salaries by one per cent; and reducing human resources, corporate services, and the purchasing department by up to $100,000 each. Other suggestions include eliminating the Boxwood Road connection project to save $1.4 million and redirect $250,000 from the sale of a Dufferin Crescent property to offset taxes. No explanation was given verbally or on the document why those particular areas were targeted, or how the cuts might affect services and programs. ◆ See ‘PROPOSED’ /4
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